Remailable envelope



March 3, 1970 B. KLEIN 3,

REMAILABLE ENVELOPE I Filed July 26, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOK. BERNARD KLEIN ATTORNEYS March 3, 1970 B. KLEIN 3,498,528

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BERNARD KLEIN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,498,528 REMAILABLE ENVELOPE Bernard Klein, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Tension Envelope Corporation, Kansas City, Mo., 21 corporation of Delaware Filed July 26, 1968, Ser. No. 747,852 Int. Cl. B65d 27/04, 27/06 US. Cl. 229-73 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An envelope includes a first panel with a gummed top flap narrower than the width of the envelope leaving exposed side areas on the inside surface of the other panel, the other panel having a sealing flap which folds over said top flap and has adhesive spots thereon for securing the sealing flap to the exposed side areas, the sealing flap and the portion of the other panel containing the exposed areas being removable from the envelope along a tear line leaving the top flap intact for rescaling the envelope. The seal connections between the sealing flap and the exposed areas provide barriers preventing an inserted computer card or the like from moving verically within the pocket prior to removal of the sealing flap.

This invention relates to envelopes and more particularly to remailable or return envelopes.

Several types of remailable or return envelopes are known, however, most are unsuitable for wide use due to excessive manufacturing costs, lack of easy understanding by the recipient as to proper operation, and difficulties related to positioning the sending and return addresses on the envelope or contents exposed from within the envelope.

This invention overcomes the above problems by providing a sealing flap on the envelope which is removable along a tear line together with a panel portion to which it seals, the removal of the sealing flap exposing an inner gummed flap. A computer card or the like, with both the sending and return addresses imprinted thereon, is received and held in the envelope, partially by the sealing flap seal, with the sending address exposed through a panel window. For the return trip, the card is repositioned so that the return address appears in the window and the inner flap is folded down and sealed, forming another barrier preventing the card from shifting.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide a remailable or return envelope which is simple in construction and easily manufactured on conventional high speed envelope equipment; to provide such an envelope the operation of which is easily understood by the recipient; to provide an envelope configuration which is well adapted for receiving computer cards or the like having multiple addresses imprinted thereon; to provide such a return envelope which may be used without printing addresses thereon; and to provide such an envelope construction which is versatile, inexpensive, and well adapted for its intended purpose.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by Way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, showing an empty, unsealed envelope construction embodyin g this invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation, with portions broken away, showing the envelope sealed for mailing to a recipient with an address imprinted computer card therein.

Patented Mar. 3, 1970 "ice FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the envelope being opened by the recipient.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation, with portions broken away, showing the envelope resealed for return and containing the computer card with a return address displayed.

Referring to the drawings in more detail:

The reference numeral 1 generally indicates a remailable or return envelope embodying this invention. The envelope 1 is adapted to receive a computer card 2 (FIG. 2) having upper and lower edges 3 and 4 and side edges 5 and 6. In this example, the card 2 has a sending address 7 imprinted thereon in one position and a return address 8 imprinted thereon in another position for reasons discussed hereinafter.

The envelope 1 is comprised of a front panel 9 having a bottom fold line 10, side fold lines 11 and 12 and a top fold line 13. The front panel 9 includes an outside surface 14, and inside surface 15 and a window opening 16 therethrough for selectively exposing the addresses 7 or 8. A perforated tear line 17 extends across the front panel 9 between the side fold lines 11 and 12 and is spaced between the top fold line 13 and the window opening 16.

Infolded side flaps 18 and 19 are attached to the front panel 9 at the side fold lines 11 and 12 and have upper ends 20 and 21 spaced below the top fold line 13 forming exposed front panel areas 22 and 23 therebetween on the front panel inside surface 15.

A back panel 24 is attached to the front panel 9 at the bottom fold line 10 and is adhesively secured to the side flaps 18 and 19 by means of gum 25 forming a pocket 26 for receiving the card 2. The back panel 24 includes the top fold line 13 and has a length, measured from the surface 29. The top flap 27 projects above the front panel tear line 17 and terminates both below the top fold line 13 and between the exposed front panel areas 22 and 23. A score line 30 is located on the back panel 24 at the bottom of the top flap 27 and extends between the exposed front panel areas 22 and 23 approximately coincident with the tear line 17. Seal gum adhesive 31 is located on the top flap inside surface 28.

A closure flap'32 is connected to the front panel 9 along the top fold line 13 and has a lentgh, measured from the fold line 13, whereby it may extend downwardly covering the top flap outside surface 29 and beyond the score line 30. The closure flap 32 has an inside surface 33 sufficiently extensive to cover the exposed front panel areas 22 and 23 when folded downwardly on the top fold line 13 and includes spot adhesive 34 and 35 on the inside surface 33 shaped and positioned for contacting the exposed front panel areas 22 and 23 while avoiding the top flap outside surface 29. Additional areas of adhesive may be located on the inside surface 33 at 36, 37 and 38 but are small in size and relatively easily broken away from the back panel 24 after being secured thereto.

In use, the computer card 2 is placed within the pocket 26 so that the sending address 7 appears within the window opening 16. The adhesive at 34-38 is dampened and the closure flap 32 is folded downwardly on the top fold line 13 whereby the envelope is sealed as shown in FIG. 2. The adhesive at 34 and 35 provide closures at the exposed front panel areas 22 and 23 preventing the card '2 from moving upwardly within the envelope 1 although the vertical height of the pocket 26 is substantially greater than the width of the card 2 between the upper and lower edges 3 and 4. The adhesive at 36-38 sufiiciently secures the closure flap 32 against the back panel 24 to that no projecting edges are presented for accidental engagement during mail handling. Asuitable stamp is applied at 39, preferably above the tear line 17, and the envelope and contents are ready for mailing.

When delivered the recipient grasps the edge of the envelope at a corner above the tear line 17 and pulls away from the balance of the envelope. This causes the portion 40 of the front panel 9 above the tear line 17 to separate from the balance of the envelope, along the tear line 17, and simultanetously causes the closure flap 32 to break away from the back panel 24 by destroying the adhesive connections at spots 36, 37 and 38. This operation slidably exposes the unsecured top flap 27 and opens the envelope, providing access into the remainder of the pocket 26. The card 2 is then easily removed from the envelope and, after its purpose is accomplished, turned and replaced into the envelope so that the return address 8 imprinted thereon appears in the window opening 16, The adhesive 31 is then dampened and top flap 27 folded along the score line 30, making a seal between the top flap 27 and the front panel 9. A second stamp may then be applied at 41 and the envelope is ready for return mailing.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a remailable envelope,

(a) a first panel having side edges and top fold line and a tear line spaced downwardly from said top fold line,

(b) a second panel having a top flap overlaying said first panel and having adhesive thereon facing said first panel, said top flap extending above said tear line and below said fold line and having side edges located inwardly of said respective first panel side edges leaving exposed portions on said first panel which are uncovered by said top flap, and

(c) a sealing flap attached to said first panel at said top fold line, adhesive between said sealing flap and said exposed portions but substantially absent from the area between said top flap and said sealing flap when said sealing flap is folded down along said top fold line over said top flap,

((1) whereby said sealing flap and exposed portions are sealable together and removable along said tear line without disturbing said top flap.

2. A remailable envelope comprising:

(a) a first panel having side edges and a top fold line and lines and a top fold line, said first panel having an outside surface and an inside surface, a tear line ex tending across said first panel between said side lines and spaced below said top fold line,

(b) infolded side flaps attached to said envelope at said side fold lines and having upper ends adjacent said side fold lines spaced below said top fold line leaving exposed first panel areas uncovered by said side flaps below said top fold line and above said tear line on said first panel inside surface,

(c) a second panel attached to said first panel and to said side flaps, said second panel having a top fiap overlaying said first panel, said top flap having a inside surface and an outside surface, said top flap projecting above said tear line and below said top fold line and having side edges located inwardly of said respective side lines leaving said exposed first panel areas uncovered by said top flap, adhesive on said top flap inside surface,

(d) a closure flap connected to said first panel at said top fold line and extendable downwardly over said top flap outside surface, said closure flap having an inside surface covering said exposed first panel areas, and

(e) spot adhesive on said closure flap inside surface and positioned for contacting said exposed first panel areas and substantially avoiding said top flap outside surface,

(f) whereby closures formed between said spot adhesive and said exposed first panel areas are removable with said closure flap along said tear line exposing said top flap for resealing said envelope.

3. In combination, a remailable envelope and a computer card, said card having upper and lower and side edges end sending and return addresses imprinted thereon, said envelope comprising:

(a) a front panel having a bottom fold line and side fold lines and a top fold line, said front panel having an outside surface and an inside surface and a window opening therethrough for selectivetly exposing said sending address, a tear line extending across said front panel between said side fold lines and spaced between said top fold line and said window opening,

(b) infolded side flaps attached to said front panel at said side fold lines and having upper ends where adjacent said side fold lines spaced below said top fold line leaving exposed front panel areas uncovered by said side flaps below said top fold line and above said tear line on said front panel inside surface.

(c) a back panel attached to said front panel at said bottom fold line and adhesively secured to said side flaps forming a pocket receiving said card, said back panel having a top flap overlying said first panel, said top flap having an inside surface and an outside surface, said top flap projecting above said tear line and below said top fold line and having side edges located inwardly of said respective side fold lines leaving said exposed front panel areas uncovered by said top flap, adhesive on said top flap inside surface,

(d) a closure flap connected to said front panel at said top fold line and extending downwardly over said top flap outside surface, said closure flap having an inside surface covering said exposed front panel areas, and spot adhesive On said closure flap inside surface and positioned for contacting said exposed front panel areas and substantially avoiding said top flap outside surface,

(e) whereby said computer card is retained in said pocket between said bottom fold line and the closures formed between said spot adhesive and said exposed front panel areas, said closure flap and exposed front panel areas being removable along said tear line exposing said top flap for rescaling said envelope with said computer card repositioned therein for exposing said return address.

4. The envelope as set forth in claim 2 wherein:

(a) one of said panels has a window opening therethrough for exposing a portion of the interior of said envelope.

5. The envelope as set forth in claim 2 wherein:

(a) said side flaps are attached to said first panel along side fold lines and to said second panel by adhesive.

6. The envelope as set forth in claim 2 including:

(a) a score line on said second panel at the bottom of said top flap and generally coincident with said tear line.

7. The envelope as set forth in claim 2 wherein:

(a) said closure flap includes breakaway adhesive portions thereon in addition to said spot adhesive.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,941,711 6/ 1960 Biek 229--73 3,270,948 9/1966 Donovan 229--73 3,356,285 12/1967 Greason 229- X DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner 

